Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra - The Magic City

Label:

Evidence Music, Inc.

Catalog#:

ECD 22069-2

Format:

CD, Album

Country:

Released:

1993

Genre:

Jazz

Style:

Space-Age

Tracklist

1	The Magic City	27:22
2	The Shadow World	10:55
3	Abstract Eye	2:51
4	Abstract "I"	4:08

Credits

Arranged By, Written-By - Sun Ra
Artwork By [Cover Art] - William White
Bass - Ronnie Boykins
Clarinet [Bass], Percussion - Robert Cummings
Drums - Jimmy Johnson (2) , Roger Blank
Engineer [Premastering] - Roger Seibel
Keyboards [Clavioline], Piano, Celesta [Electronic], Marimba [Bass], Harp [Sun], Drums [Dragon], Timpani - Sun Ra
Percussion - James Jacson
Photography [Sun Ra Photo] - Raymond Ross
Producer - Alton Abraham
Reissue Producer - Jerry Gordon
Saxophone [Alto] - Harry Spencer
Saxophone [Alto], Flute, Percussion - Danny Davis
Saxophone [Alto], Flute, Piccolo Flute, Percussion - Marshall Allen
Saxophone [Baritone], Flute, Timpani - Pat Patrick
Saxophone [Tenor], Percussion - John Gilmore
Trombone - Ali Hassan , Teddy Nance
Trombone [Bass] - Bernard Pettaway
Trumpet - Walter Miller
Trumpet, Percussion - Chris Capers

Notes

Originally issued on the LP The Magic City (El Saturn 403). Track 1 was recorded in rehearsal in New York City around September 24th, 1965. Tracks 2-4 were recorded at Olatunji's Loft, New York in the spring of 1965.

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Review by markjazz Aug 23, 2008

This album is a great free jazz listen and most of it is fairly soft. I would say it's almost more of an orchestral piece as well, the title track mostly. The title track is a great piece. It starts off very slow moving and light and then starts to pick up finally at the 15 minute mark and hardky gives you time to rest and collect your thoughts. I really like the piano in it too and wish there was more of it.

The Shadow World starts off softly again with rolling type thunder jazz. It almost has a hard-bop feel to it for a while. This track suits its title very well and I consider it pretty dark, for free-jazz. At 3 minutes various instruments slowly creep in, horns and piano, until a certain mess starts to form. A very well done track and probably my favorite on the album.

Abstract Eye, being under 3 minutes, is a nice little set with bleeding cello strokes and low horn sounds hidden in the background. It ends with some light flute play and rolling tom drums. Not a great piece but it does the trick.

Abstract "I" is kind of a part II from the last track. The same type of style but with more sounds added. Overall it ends the album very nicely.